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Address: Regio I, Insula 10
Area: 431 square meters
Rooms: 17
The House of the Lovers, known as Casa degli Amanti or House of
the Paramours, is a compact yet elegantly decorated Roman domus in
Pompeii, exemplifying the architectural and artistic trends of the
late Republican and early Imperial periods. Located in Regio I,
Insula 10, at address I.10.11 on Vicolo del Citarista (also
connected to I.10.10 and I.10.7), it occupies a modest footprint
without a traditional tablinum (reception room), making it atypical
among Pompeian houses. The name derives from an inscription in the
triclinium (dining room) comparing lovers to bees leading a
honey-sweet life, evoking themes of romance and desire. Buried under
volcanic ash from Mount Vesuvius's 79 AD eruption, the house offers
insights into middle-class Roman domestic life, with high-quality
frescoes that rival those in larger residences, reflecting social
changes in the first century AD. Some hypotheses suggest it
functioned as a brothel due to the inscription and erotic motifs,
though this remains debated.
Dating to the first century BC, the house's structure is evidenced by opus incertum (irregular masonry) on the façade and cocciopesto (crushed pottery mortar) molding around the impluvium (rainwater basin). It underwent renovations after the 62 AD earthquake, with Fourth Style decorations indicating post-quake embellishments influenced by Hellenistic trends, such as vine motifs separating wall zones, similar to those in the House of Siricus and the Temple of Isis. Traces of earlier Second Style phases (around the mid-first century BC) are visible, showing architectural evolution from a modest layout to a more ornate one. The house was part of the Insula of the Menander, a block with affluent residences, suggesting owners of moderate wealth, possibly involved in commerce or crafts. Two skeletons found in Room 8 (a cubiculum or bedroom) indicate inhabitants perished during the eruption. Its proximity to other houses like the Casa del Menandro underscores Pompeii's dense urban fabric and social interconnections.
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Excavated in 1933 as part of broader digs in the Insula of the Menander, the house revealed well-preserved frescoes and structural elements. Early reports in Notizie degli Scavi (1934) documented the floor plans and finds, with artifacts cataloged in later studies like Penelope M. Allison's 2006 volume on the Insula's finds. The site has been subject to ongoing conservation, with recent access included in tours highlighting the insula's archaeology. Despite its elegance, the house yielded few luxurious artifacts, aligning with its modest scale, though coarse plaster and cocciopesto pavements were noted during digs. Excavations confirmed post-62 AD repairs, with some rooms left intact, preserving original shelving and decorations.
The house follows a simplified Roman domus plan, lacking a
tablinum—a rare omission possibly reflecting evolving social norms
or space constraints. Entry is via a narrow fauces (corridor) from
Vicolo del Citarista, leading directly to the atrium and peristyle
(colonnaded courtyard), emphasizing inward-facing privacy. Key
elements include:
Fauces (Room 1, Entrance Corridor): Narrow
passageway with a stone bench on the right, decorative flooring in
lavapesta (lava-based mortar) dotted with white tesserae, and
graffiti on the north wall. Walls feature faded plaster.
Atrium
(Room 2): Central space with an off-center impluvium edged in
cocciopesto and tesserae forming crosses; flooring in lavapesta with
white dots. Doorways lead to cubicula (bedrooms) and the peristyle;
south and west sides have decorative elements.
Cubicula
(Bedrooms, e.g., Rooms 3, 4, 8): Small chambers off the atrium; Room
8 contained skeletons. Some had shelving (possibly cupboards),
cocciopesto floors, and motifs like crocodiles and sphinxes.
Peristyle (Room 9): Colonnaded garden area with Tuscan-order columns
in two rows, providing light and air; accessed directly from the
atrium.
Triclinium (Dining Room, Room 8): Opens to the peristyle;
richly decorated for banquets.
Ala (Wing Room): With cocciopesto
floor, possibly for family display.
Service Areas: Including a
kitchen with stove and niche shrine.
The layout prioritizes
functionality in a limited space, with direct atrium-peristyle
transition adapting to urban density.
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Decorations blend Second and Fourth Pompeian Styles, with Fourth
Style dominant post-62 AD, featuring intricate motifs and illusions.
Walls show vine tendrils dividing zones, influenced by Neronian
styles like the Domus Aurea. Notable frescoes include:
Atrium: Medallions with sacred landscapes, still-lifes (e.g., calf's
head, mollusks, fish), and black zoccolo (base) with birds and
plants. North wall has idyllic scenes; west wall a bread and plate
medallion.
Triclinium: Mythological panels with Mars and Venus in
flight, amorini (cupids), ideal couples, animals, and landscapes.
Central scene: Abandoned Dido with sword, sister Anna, and
Isis-Nemesis (with cobra headdress symbolizing vengeance).
Other
Rooms: Crocodiles, sphinxes in cubicula; kitchen shrine frescoes of
lares (household gods) with offerings.
Mosaics are simple,
with tesserae in impluvium and floors; overall, decorations evoke
abundance, mythology, and romance.
The defining inscription in the triclinium reads: "Amantes ut apes vita mellita exigent velle" (Lovers, like bees, lead a honey-sweet life. I wish it were so), accompanied by three male names, fueling brothel theories. Graffiti in the fauces includes CIL IV 8392: "Accipe quos dedi tecum choros" (Accept the dances I gave you).
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Finds are modest, consistent with the house's scale: bronze hinges, lamps, coins, iron knives, and domestic items like perfume burners and vessels. Kitchen yielded stove remnants and shrine objects; overall catalog in Allison's study includes everyday tools from I.10.10-11. Two skeletons in Room 8 provide human context.
The House of the Lovers illustrates Pompeii's social shifts, with high-art frescoes in a small space signaling democratized luxury. Its atypical layout without tablinum reflects changing domestic priorities, possibly influenced by imperial trends. As part of the UNESCO-listed Insula of the Menander, it contributes to understanding Roman urbanism, art evolution, and eruption impacts. Ongoing tours highlight its frescoes' vibrancy, making it a key site for appreciating Pompeii's "frozen" heritage amid modern conservation.